Iqaluit (Sep 22/03) - Three candidates are challenging incumbent John Matthews for the mayor's chair in Iqaluit.

All have experience on city council.

Keith Irving is a councillor, Jimmy Kilabuk is a former mayor, and Elisapee Sheutiapik is deputy mayor.

Irving said mayor and council need to address the city's expanding development and growth, the housing shortage, the environment, property taxes, public safety and fiscal responsibility.

"We have to ensure that every dollar we have is spent wisely," he said.

"We need more sustainable development and long term growth." Irving said there needs to be some tax reforms and is proposing property tax rebates for elders living in their homes.

Kilabuk is running for mayor again to give Inuit in the community a voice on council.

"I want to represent all the people but from an Inuit's point of view," he said.

One of Kilabuk's priorities on council is to fix the city's roads and make them safer for drivers and pedestrians.

He said council must "work together. We can resolve the problems, but not without listening to the people."

Matthews said one of the reasons he is running again is to help the city continue with the process of the current council.

He explained that with all development and growth that is planned for the future there should be some consistency in council and the mayor's position. "The last three years have been very progressive for council and I would like to keep that progress going," he said. Matthews said one of the things he would like to see the new council address is working with the territorial government for more tax reforms.

"The municipality needs to work better with the other levels of government," he said.

Elisapee Sheutiapik said one thing she would like to see from a new mayor and council is better communication with the elder population in Iqaluit.

Sheutiapik said Inuit people feel left out of the decision making. Council has to communicate better with the elders in the community, she said.

"Some of our solutions could be found just by talking to our elders," she said.

Sheutiapik wants to address development issues and housing shortages and said council needs to work with the public to find solutions.